Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben -Zaide by Wolfgand Amadeus Mozart

Ruhe Sanft -Zaide by Wolfgand Amadeus Mozart
Sung by Martene Grimson|

Ruhe sanft mein holdes Leben,
schlafe, bis dein Glück erwacht;
da, mein Bild will ich dir geben,
schau, wie freundlich es dir lacht:
ihr süssen Träume, wiegt ihn ein,
und lasset seinem Wunsch am Ende
die wollustreichen Gegenstände
zu reifer Wirklichkeit gedeihn.

Rest peacefully, my beloved,
Sleep until happiness dawns,
My portrait I give you,
See, how kindly it smiles upon you.
Sweet dreams rock him to sleep,
And Grant his wish at last,
That the things of which he dreams
May ripen into reality.

"Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben” (“Rest gently, my dearest life (Beloved)”) appears in Act I when Zaide first discovers Gomatz, asleep under a tree. She instantly falls in love, and leaves him her portrait, jewels, money and a note beseeching him to meet her later in that same spot. She then sings this beautiful aria to the would-be lover, telling him to sleep until he awakes with happiness. It’s one of Mozart’s most beautiful arias and is especially remarkable given that this is such an early foray for him into full opera writing.